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Patrick Bond Reflects on the Impact of Holding the World Cup in South Africa

Patrick Bond has written a column for the Daily Maverick reflecting on “our World Cup hangover” and “Fifa emperor Sepp Blatter” in light of recent protests in Brazil, host country for the 2014 World Cup.

Bond, author of Politics of Climate Justice, writes that “After egging us on to build the hedonistic palaces, trains and airports while the vast majority here suffer so much, Blatter’s crimes against SA society and economy continue unpunished.”

South Africans already know about the social costs of mega-event madness. It is Brazil’s turn now.

Over the last fortnight, Brazil’s two million street protesters in 80 cities supporting the “Free Pass Social Movement” have declared how gatvol they are with their multiple sacrifices to Fifa emperor Sepp Blatter. We should not merely offer them our admiration, since a “Grand Pact” is apparently now being crafted by President Dilma Rousseff.